Wednesday, March 21, 2007

A Seaming Discovery

Spring is here! Hooray! That's what has inspired this little cotton log cabin blanket. It is made with soft colors of Classic Elite Yarns' Premiere which is 50% pima cotton and 50% Tencel. While in the process of knitting this, I discovered a way to make the seams in the back lay flat.

If you are not wedded to that little last stitch on your needle after a bindoff, you may wish to try this method. If you will look at your edge after binding off on the right side, you will see a row of little "V"s facing you. Then after you pick up stitches along that edge, you will have a resulting ridge on the wrong side where that seam is (picture just below). In my method, you bind off on the wrong side, and the row of "V"s will be on that (WS) side of the work. When you later pick up stitches (I will show you how) through this bindoff, you will have a flat seam on the wrong side of your work (second picture below). In items for baby, this is particularly nice.


















So, let us say you have bound off on the wrong side, giving you 8.5 (or 9.5) garter ridges rather than the 9 garter ridges called for in the original pattern. Now it is time to pick up stitches. With the right side facing you, insert your needle into the nearest stitch of the "V" or the one at the very top of your piece.


Then wrap your yarn as if to knit, and pull it through onto your needle. Continue until you have picked up all the stitches.




























The last picture is of the back of your work, as the stitches are being picked up. The seam is very nice and flat. Now just knit as always, remembering to bind off on the wrong side, whenever you wish.

I hope that with spring here, you will want to spring into action and have some fun with cottons, with pretty, fresh colors, and with knitting!


Beth

9 comments:

Susan (ZenKnit) said...

That is a very very good tip. Are you on the Mason-Dixon blogalong group? I am sure they would want to hear about this.

Anonymous said...

Thank you, Susan. Wish I were, but that was closed when I stumbled upon it. If you know a M*D blogger, go ahead and share my site's tutorial on this. Beth

Karen said...

Thanks for the tip! (I found you because someone posted a link to you on Mason-Dixon which I read often.) I am just getting ready to start a log cabin and appreciate tips to make a lovely idea even more beautiful.

Your blanket is gorgeous!

Anonymous said...

No room at the Inn? I mean the blog. How sad! And this is such a good idea. I'm glad you offered to let someone link to here. Great technique for those of us still aspiring to do a log cabin.

becky c. said...

Pretty tricky knit-sister! Thank you for sharing!

Anonymous said...

Awesome Log Cabin! Thanks for sharing your seaming tip. I have a strange question for you. I was taught that in garter stitch you always slip the first stitch of each row. For log cabining should I be slipping the stitch or not? How does the different edge result affect picking up stitches along the "side" of a log?
Thanks! JennieD

Anonymous said...

Yes, Jennie, I think that slipping the first stitch makes for a perfect edge for picking up stitches; it is a nearly flawless continuation of the edge of the stripe next to it. (I try to pick up one in that space where one joins the other. Would rather have more than necessary than fewer, which causes it all to pucker.) Slipping the first stitch will make your entire blanket smoother and easier to work. Have fun! B

Anonymous said...

Beth,

Thanks for the input and the quick response! I will slip away then. :-)

JennieD

Teresa said...

I can't get into the inn either but keep up on what all the members are doing. I'm so glad you let Susan link to your method. My next log cabin or whatever I will certainly give it a try. Looks wonderful. Thank you.
Teresa